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| Criterion |  Operations Root Cause Tree Analysis |  DevOps Blameless Postmortem |  Operations Barrier Analysis |  Operations 5 Whys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | For a problem with several suspected causes, the method builds a causal structure instead of a mere list. It makes visible how causes connect and where the strongest points of leverage lie. | After an incident with damage or a near miss, the method creates a sober field for learning without assigning blame. It directs attention to the course of events, conditions, and effective countermeasures. | For a risk that can only be managed through multiple layers of protection, the method examines the effectiveness of each barrier. It shows where safeguards are missing, too weak, or fail under real conditions. | For a single, hard-to-explain deviation, the method exposes the causal chain behind the visible symptom. It keeps the cause open until a controllable condition emerges instead of a mere description. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-3 h | 30-90 min | 2-4 h | 15-30 min |
Participantsdifferent | 2-8 | 3-12 | 2-6 | 2-6 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Cause Tree, Evidence Notes, Countermeasures | Postmortem Doc, Action Items, Timeline | Barrier Inventory, Failure Analysis per Barrier, Action Backlog | Root cause notes, Countermeasures |
Tags1 shared | Root causeTreeIncidentQuality | Site Reliability EngineeringIncidentLearningReliability | Root causeSafetyIncident | Root causeIncidentLeanProblem solving |